The road starts on the B6173 on the eastern edge of Tantobie and heads west through the former colliery village. The road remains largely urban, although there are some tantalising glimpses of open fields from time to time.

Eventually the road reaches a mini-roundabout on the B6168. This is the original western end of the B6311; the road to the west and north was the original line of the A692 and when that road was moved onto the current bypass the B6311 was extended to the west. It descends Flint Hill Bank to end on the current line of the A-road to the north of Dipton.